In October of this year, the Wisconsin Supreme court recognized same-sex marriages as legal and equal to opposite-sex marriages. Starting Dec. 1, Madison College offered a special benefits plan enrollment period for those who are of same-sex marriages.

Prior to December, Madison College could only offer a Domestic Partner Benefits plan, which only included health insurance and was post-taxed on partner or pre-taxed on the employee.

“There was a huge difference in costs,” said Kristin Gebhardt, Director of Compensation, Benefits and Training. “They are (now) treated exactly the same as opposite-sex marriages.”

The college has already received several inquires and requests to switch from domestic partnership to marriage.

“We didn’t have to do a special enrollment. We could have waited until normal enrollment next year,” Gebhardt said. “ I think it’s a positive thing.”

Gebhardt and others involved in the decision making process received approval to have a special enrollment period, so that same-sex marriages are able to switch from domestic to married for this upcoming spring semester. They plan on keeping the policy for years to come.

“People are excited to know they are being treated equally, and that we did it voluntarily. I think it was the right thing to do,” Gebhart said.